Meagan McKinley
Newark, DE-
Things looked a little different Sunday, Nov. 4 as the University of Delaware Blue Hens took on the U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen for the second time this weekend. And yet, some things were exactly the same.
The Blue Hens donned the same commorerative star-spangled jerseys as Saturday, Navy in their navy road uniforms. Also the same as the first game, even the officials were having trouble reading the white numbers of Delaware and the gold trimmed ones of Navy.
Similar to the day before, the game was quiet for a few minutes from (the opening) puck drop until a penalty was called on Delaware. Courtney Marino, wearing number 14 for this weekend’s contests, was called on a hook just under six minutes in. All would remain quiet, Navy failing to convert on their power play, until the final two minutes of the first period. Sophomore forward Anna Schell put the Blue Hens on the board to take a 1-0 lead, assisted by sophomore winger Sunny Breen and senior blue-liner Callen Small.
Unlike Saturday, the Midshipmen were unable to tie the game before the end of the first period, instead starting off the second with a hook on freshman forward Ali Suciu. While Delaware was unable to put the power-play to use, they still scored the next goal at 8:19, Marino redeeming her earlier penalty with an assist from Small.
Just like Saturday, Navy’s sole goal-scorer was sophomore center Rose Gasper, fed off a pass from junior winger Maggie Madigan at 11:23 in the second. It would be the only goal from the ladies in blue. Freshman defender Priya Albert landed herself in the sin bin on a trip with four minutes to go in the period, Navy once again failing to use the power play to their advantage.
The Navy freshmen were apparently feeling a little rowdy Sunday as defender Quin Ramos was called on interference in front of the net early in the third period. She went into the box slamming the door and left it even louder as senior forward Carlie Smythe slipped one in passed Navy’s Julia Chenoweth in goal. Assists went to Schell and sophomore defender McKenzie Schurman.
Small managed to mar an otherwise good game with an interference call of her own three minutes later. Then for almost ten minutes all was quiet, and while Delaware outshot Navy 25-6 in the period, there was still some fight left in the Midshipmen.
Coach Ron Siefert called a timeout for Navy with just under three minutes on the board. Chenoweth raced off the ice a minute later, but instead of earning themselves another goal, the move let freshman forward Kendall Dubin pot her fourth goal of the weekend, Delaware’s fourth of the game.
Delaware hits the road Sunday Nov. 11 to take on NCAA Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, PA, with a puck drop scheduled for 3:30 pm. They will return to home ice Friday, Nov. 16, hosting Rowan University in Gold Arena at 8:20 pm.